what is necessary to defend itself, we sharepresidentobama's preferencetoseeiran's nuclearweapons program end through diplomacy. but for diplomacy to succeed, it must be coupled with powerful sanctions and a credible military threat. >> president obama defended the international deal yesterday at a forum as well, insisting that the bottom line is to prevent iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. the sanctions relief will depend on iran's actions. >> if and when iran decides not to abide by this agreement, not to be negotiating in good faith, we can reverse it and tighten them even further. >> now, israel, another arab countries in the middle east don't have much of a choice right now other than to follow the white house's lead on iran but i can tell you, shannon, there are a lot of nervous politicians and political leaders throughout the arab world and here in israel about the future and how the u.s. is going to deal with iran. there's a lot of skepticism that a deal with iran is really possible and there is still a lot of sort of need and ability for the future to use physical and

obama's preferencetoseeiran's nuclearweapons program end through diplomacy. but for that to skied, it must be coupled with powerful sanctions and military threat. >> reporter: barack obama defend the the international deal saturday. his obama line is to prevent iran from eye wearing a nuclear weapon. >> connor, thank you. >>> u.n. inspectors visiting a nuclear site inside iran. they were invited. it's the first time in two years they have had access to the facility. israeli. long time still unfinished reactor could still be used to make a nuclear bomb once its finished. iran said it will be for generating peaceful power only. and construction will continue on the site despite the deal reached with the united states. >>> right now, police making arrests after a big college football celebration gets -- well, look at it -- out of control. fires burning in the streets. police in riot gear. and one of the architects of the affordable care act is helping to clarify the president's promise if you like your doctor, you can keep it, or the plan that you like, you can do it. he says, you ca

oniran. >>israel is prepared to do what is necessary to defend itself. we sharepresidentobama's preferenceto see iran's nuclear weapons program and through diplomacy. but for diplomacy to succeed, it must be coupled with powerful sanctions and a credible military threat. >> now, president obama defended the international deal which many allies in the middle east area really are very nervous about, insisting his bottom line is to prevent iran from collecting a nuclear weapon and the sanctions relief will depend on iran's actions going forward and that is what has so many in this region worried, greg. they don't really trust iran and they are afraid that the united states will be tricked by iran's sweet talking going forward. >>> secretary of state john kerry insists that israel and the united states are in snync. from where you are in jerusalem, does it seem that way? >> reporter: there's a lot of tension. they are simply not on the same side although they are trying to sort of publicly get their act together. netanyahu and perez had very kind words to say this weekend and per

-year sentence. althoughpresidentobamamadea plea for the pastor's release in an historic phone calltoiran's newpresident, the white house has come under scrutiny for not negotiating his release. that of two other americans during the latest nuclear talks with iran. >>> president obama's job approval rating, that's coming up. >> we're going to do it fair and balanced. it's not just issues with obama care though that have his second term agenda in question. >> finally, friends mourning the logs of actor paul walker. as they grieve, some of his so-called fans are trying to cash in on his death. >> unbelievable. and remembering our fallen heroes. first in hawaii, then in washington, where veterans are gathering to commemorate pearl harbor. [ paper rustles, outdoor sounds ] ♪ [ male announcer ] laura's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack, be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. yep. got all the cozies. [ grandma ] with n fedex one rate, i

as an enemy. >> yesterdaypresidentobamadownplayed expectations of a bigger long-term dealwithiranregardingits nuclear program but says negotiations are worth the effort. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran, like any country, to change over time. i wouldn't say it is more than 50/50 but we have to try. >> neighboring iraq today there was another series of fatal bombings. authorities say at least 45 people were killed and dozens wounded after a series of explosions. the violence is worse than at any time since 2006 when the country was on the verge of civil war. >>> in ukraine today protesters topples and beheaded a statue part of a much largerer demonstration. they are demanding that the government move ahead with a deal to deepen ties to the west. the plan angered russia to the east. >>> back in this country the huge storm that caused major power outages in texas has moved eastward. a spokes woman for emergency management in virginia warned of what she called a historic ice event. the storm sent snow to philadelphia. a catholic high school reporte

facilityiniran. presidentobamasaysthe pursuit for the lon longstanding deal is likely to fai fail as it is to psyched. psyched -- succeed. iran is to rollback tha their enrichment of uranium that is used to build a nuclear bomb but it's also used to generate nuclear energy. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran for like any country to change overtime. it may not be likely. if you ask me the live life andd that we are about to arrive at the instate that i described earlier it was more than 50/50. we have to try. >> iran and the u.s. and five other world powers will meet in the coming days to discuss implementing an agreement on iran's program. the deal which lifted sanctions on iran has benefitted his country's economy. >> controversy over the latest projectproject on artist cristo. some say it will damage the eco-system. >> it's called "over the river". the arkansas in south central colorado. what cristo wants to do here is suspend hundreds of huge panels of silvery cloth nearly six miles of it in eight sections along a 42-mile stretch of the river.

and boston are expected to get hit by ice and snow. >>> u.n. weapons inspectors frominiran. presidentobamatoldan international forum on saturday that he could accept a final comprehensive agreement that would allow iran to enrich urine yum for peaceful purposes. >>> billy graham is in ill health. his health condition has deteriorated quite a bit in the last few days. >>> now back to fareed zakaria gps. >>> until june 30th, tom donyell -- mr. obama's national security advisor. he is now a distinguished fellow at the council on foreign relations. he joins me to talk about recent developments and the issues he was deeply involved in at the white house from iran to winding down the war in afghanistan to mitigating tensions between china and japan. welcome back to the show. >> great to see you. >> let's 23irs talk about iran, you were deeply involved in this whole policy, it appears that what we're saying is we need iran to essentially shut downing parts of its nuclear program so that it cannot have the kind of breakout capacity that -- he says we are not going to dismantle a single thing, we

hostage drama played out. george w. bushcalledirantheaxis of evil.presidentobamawhois trying to negotiate what would be a historic breakthrough on the nuclear program, do they talk about that at all? when the former presidents talk, mostly we learn nothing because those are off the record communications. but boy, you would love to know if they exchange any notes or historical reflections or observations. but it's a big historic event and we will find out in bits and pieces after about the interaction between the presidents themselves. >> it would be interesting to see what if anything happens, because there will be representatives, high ranking officials from iran, for example, attending the memorial service, presumably the funeral on sunday as well. and these kinds of diplomatic awkward moments potentially could be significant. >> sometimes awkward moments, sometimes either the front of the cameras or away from the cameras, a chance for somebody even in a very brief conversation, maybe, to start a relationship or to continue or advance a relationship, or let's just say, the

withiran. onsaturdaypresidentobamasaidfresh sanctions might make sense if long-term deal falls through but not before that. if at the end of six months we can't make a deal, we're no worse off. in fact, we have greater leverage with the international community to continue to apply sanctions and strengthen them. >> over in iran, president rouhani harolding the deal telling parliament the expectation of sanctions relief had already boosted his country's economy. the $7 billion in relief amounts to less than one month of iranian oil production and 7% of the $100 billion in frozen iranian assets that remain overseas. still any respite is welcome in an economy with 12% unemployment and 40% inflation. on sunday for the first time inspectors from the u.n.'s nuclear watchdog toured the heavy water reactor at iraq. a sign that while there's plenty of scepticism some progress was already under way. robert, the president towed a careful line here. i thought his remarks were interesting. it seems like we're in the middle of what our good friend david axelrod likes to call kabuki theater, confident

against apartheid. >> when it comes topresidentobama's presenceon the international stage this potential for comprehensive agreement with iran yesterday. it could be worse. when it comes to the international stage how is his capital? >> i don't think it is exceedingly high. i think a lot of american allies think america has lost its nerve in some regard particularly when it comes to confronting iran. i think there is difficulty with our credibility because our economic standing has impact as well. it doesn't diminish america's power and influence in the world. >> how much focus for president obama in terms of international? it isn't just iran? >> it is looking so difficult. as you look towards next year disengaging from afghanistan becomes the story. iran becomes the big test. no one knows whether iran will do what president obama wants it to do which is basically dismantle any pretense. >> nice to have you here. we'll see you a little bit laterer. a little bit later. >>> we vel a preview of "meet the press" later. meantime jenna is here with the morning's top stories. nic

.presidentobamamadeitveryclear,iranwillnot have nuclear weapons. that is his red line. prime minister netanyahu said, iran will not have nuclear weapons capability. that is his red line. but the difference between those two creates a certain gap. is that gap fundamental? no, because the bottom line is the same. they have different red lines, but they have the same bottom line. iran will not be a nuclear weapon country. this is what we have to and the, that israel united states are completely aligned on that issue. there might be different path to get to that result, and there might be disagreements along the , but theen friends bottom line, which is what is really important in life, is completely aligned. >> others come to this table and make the following argument. why now? the reason the iranians are talking is because of the sanctions. why not tie long more sanctions so they will not make an interim agreement that will say, ok, we can't live with the sanctions anymore, what is it you want? and therefore not only stop, freeze, but get them to dismantle the centrifuges? that would be

aspresidentobamaandiranian president hassan rouhani both defended that interim dealwithiranthatcalls for the country to cap the amount of uranium enrichment in exchange for a bit of easing of the sanctions it was facing. president obama says the u.s. needs to see if the deal with iran will work out and gives it a 50/50 chance. critics say that is too big a risk. >> in the pacific, china said we want it, so now south korea is doing it, expanding its air defense zone. the country responding to recent actions by china that decided to suddenly expand their zone over those disputed islands in the east china sea. now the new development is sparking concerns over a possible broader project in the region. the zone would include two small islands along with a rock that's been submerged and is part of the dispute with beijing. >> this morning our thoughts and prayers are with billy graham and his family. we hear his health is on the decline. he was hospitalized last month for a respiratory problem shortly after his 95th birthday. according to his son, his father has been very weak and unable t

,presidentobamahassaid that the pursuit of a long-standing dealwithirantomonitor their nuclear weapons is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. he was speaking at a pro-israel forum in washington. iran has agreed to temporarily roll back the enrichment of uranium, which could be used to build a nuclear bomb but also to generate nuclear energy. iran calls their program peaceful. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran, like any country, to change over time. it may not be likely. you know, if you asked me what is the likelihood that we're able to arrive at the end state that i was just describing earlier, i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. we have to try. >> iran, the u.s. and five other world powers will meet in the coming days to discuss implementing a six-month agreement on iran's nuke prarm. rouhani said the deal has already benefitted his country's economy. >>> remembering nelson mandela. today marks the beginning of a week of remembrance. they have a day of prayer and reflection. earlier today the mandela foundation held a service. services like

obamasaidthe pursuit of a long-standing dealwithirantomonitor olympic weapons is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. >> iran has agreed to temporarily roll back the enrichment of uranium and is used to generate nuclear energy. we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran, like any country to change over time. it may not be likely. if you ask me what is the likelihood that we arrive at the end state that i was describing earlier - i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. we have to try. >> iran, the u.s. and five other world powers will meet in the coming days to discuss implementing a 6-month agreement on tehran's nuclear program. >> after leaving much of the country in a deep freeze, wintry weather is expected to hit the coast. dallas recorded its coldest day in more than 20 years. heidi jo-castro has more. >> 75,000 people are without power in the dallas area, not because of precipitation or snow, but stuff like this - the tree limbs are encrusted with ice. they are weighing down the tree limbs, causing stuff like this, big limbs falling on tower lines, re

picked. but it's semantics. because the fundamentals are the following.presidentobamamadeit very clear iran will not have nuclear weapons. that's his red line. prime minister benjamin netanyahu said iran will not have nuclear weapons capability. that's his red line. but the difference between those two creates a certain gap. is that gap fundamental? no. because the bottom line is the same. they have different red lines but they have the same bottom line. iran will not be a nuclear weapon country. and this is what we have to remember. that israel and the united states are completely aligned on that issue. now there might be different paths to get to that result. and there might be disagreements along the way between friends. but the bottom line which is reese really -- which is really important in lifer is the ball line. >> rose: there are people who come to this table and make the following argument. why now. the reason the iranians are talking is because of the sanctions. why not pile on more sanctions so they will not make an interim agreement they'll say okay we can't live w

withiran, theobamaadministrationis opening the door to sell u.s. defense systems to allies. despite a deal with iran they pose a threat not addressed by the nuclear agreement. >> no strategy is risk free. diplomacy takes kournal, vision. our emphasis on diplomatic tools should not be misinterpreted. we know diplomacy cannot operate in a vacuum. our success will hinge on america's military and the credibility and assurances to our allies and partners in the middle east that we will use it. >> he made those comment addressing leaders at a summit in bahrain. >> preparations are under way for the burial of nelson mandela. people from all over the world are gathering in johannesburg, celebrating his life with a dance or prayer. we report on the unique gift to bring people together. >> nelson mandela dreamt of a rainbow nation. maybe this is what he had in mined. leaney bruce and her family remembered him. >> to see this many people across borders and cross, singing together and honouring an amazing man. >> we are here because of nelson mandela. we live the same life as other people. i ca

,800 centerfuges addedtoiranstock.so sanctions have utterly failed. >> reporter: in washingtontheobamaadministrationcontradicted his version of events. >> there is no question if you look at the facts of the impact of oil revenues and impact on their economic growth at large that there was a huge impact of the -- the sanctions had an enormous impact and that was a driving factor in bringing the iranians back to the negotiating table. >> reporter: many speculating that if it succeeds washington and tahir may cooperate and it could be useful at the up coming peace talks known as geneva two and the u.s. response. >> the goal is to have a governing body, that is the goal of the geneva conference and they have not embraced that as the focus of the geneva communication. >> reporter: it is in the middle of what could be described as a charm offensive and visiting officials in saudi arabia that sent guns and cash to the syrian opposition and they insist iran is trying to be a good neighbor. >> we believe that we need, all of us, need to cooperate with each other to, in fact, contain the sp

in washington, meantime,presidentobamagivingthe odds of achieving a long-term agreementwithiran50/50at best. >>> meantime, the pentagon under fire tonight for its decision to buy combat helicopters made in russia. lawmakers on both sides, asking, why not made in america? here tonight, abc's aditi roy. >> reporter: tonight, new questions arise as to why the pentagon chose to spend more than $1 billion on dozens of russian mi-17 helicopters, to support afghan troops, bypassing u.s. manufacturers. the defense department signed the deal more than two years ago and pentagon officials defended the move, citing a 2010 top secret study, which they said recommended the russian helicopter as the top choice. but the associated press has obtained excerpts of the study, which said the u.s. manufactured chinook helicopter was the, quote, most cost effective single platform type fleet for the afghan air force over a 20-year period. the russian deal sparking outrage in congress, as lawmakers pressed officials during defense department budget hearings in april. >> with all the tens of billions of

a chance of preventing for bloodshed. >> a team of u.n. weapons inspectors arrivedinirantotour a nuclear facility, the first time they've visited the site in more than two years. president obama said the pursuit of a longstanding deal with iran is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. iran has agreed to roll back its enrichment of uranium, which it uses to generate nuclear energy. the program could also build a bomb. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible ke any country, to change over time. it may not be likely. you know, if you ask me what is the likelihood that we are able to arrive at the end state i was describing earlier, i want say it's more that 50/50, but we have to try. >> iran, the u.s. and five other powers will meet to discuss implementing an great on the program. hassan ni says the deal that lists sanctions has helped his country's economy. >> controversy over the latest project by artist christo. he'll spread fabric high above the arkansas river. some say it will damage the eco >> it's called "over the river", and this is the river, the arkan

's close kf dants. >>> then the man who until this summer waspresidentobama's topadviser on national security, tom donnelly, on the iran deal and on why he says the u.s. doesn't need to cut a deal with hamid karzai of afghanistan. >>> next, how to understand the booming american economy. i'll ask the man who presided over great growth and some critics charge also helped create many bubbles. former fed chair alan greenspan. and as we approach the first anniversary of the newtown massacre, what can the u.s. learn from other nations about gun policy? i'll take you to japan for a fascinating look at a nation that loves violent video games but has a gun death rate that is very different from america's. it's a preview of a "gps" special airing tonight at 7:00 p.m. eastern. >>> but first, here is my take. when nelson mandela was released from prison in 1990, i remember being struck by how old-f old-fashioned he seemed. he spoke with the language, kay dance and manner of figures from the 1940s and '50s. as someone who grew up in india he reminded me of the videos i had seen of mahut ma gandh

. bret? >> domestically the administration has its hands fullwithobamacare.on the foreign policy front, there is a potential bump in the road with iran sanctions in that there is a potential bipartisan deal in congress to move forward -- >> brett, right. we are hearing tonight that senator lindsey graham and several republicans joined by democratic senators, among them chuck schumer of new york, senior man in the democratic leadership, will hold a news conference on tuesday to announce they will introduce a bill that will apply more stringent sanctions on iran unless they meet a set of conditions within six months. far stronger than any imposed so far and would resemble the shape of what they hope will be the final outcome of the negotiation. if the negotiation don't get us there, these sanctions would take effect. >> that is embarrassing for the administration. >> it would be, if they say it strengthens the administration's hands. and the problem is these sanctions might easily pass the senate and if they pass the senate, they will almost certainly pass the house, forcing the pr

think it's true. no one knowswhetheriranwillultimately do whatpresidentobamawantsit to do, which is basically dismantle any pretense towards a nuclear weapon. >> david, nice to have you here. we'll see you a little bit later. >>> we vel a preview of "meet the press" later. meantime jenna is here with the morning's top stories. nice to see you. >> nice to see you, too. 85-year-old war veteran merrill newman is back in california after being detachbd for more than a month in north korea. north korean officials say he was being held on charges of hostile acts against the regime stemming from his service in the korean war. he was finally reunited with his family in san francisco on saturday after the north koreans deported him. >> it's been a great homecoming, and i'm tired but ready to be with my family. >> a spokane medical examiner is set to perform an autopsy monday to determine what caused the death of a teenager on a delta air lines flight on saturday. the flight from seattle to atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing in spokane shortly after takeoff. investigators says

is a stage and there are lots of actors these days.presidentobamaacknowledgethe u.s. would accept a peaceful nuclear energy program in iran. 85-year-old merrill newman is back on u.s. soil and with family after being detained. north korean authorities seized newman off a departing plane more than a month ago. joining me now, congressman michael mccall, chairman of the house homeland security and congressman adam schiff, a member of the house select intelligence committee. thanks for coming in on a snowy day. not always easy in washington. i want to start with merrill newman because i know his son is in your district and you had been back and forth with him. why did north korea seize him and why did they let him go? >> it's a very good question, and i'm not sure we'll ever know completely the answer. it may be as the north koreans have said that as a personal peek, they found out about his war record and pulled him off the plane. it may have something to do with iran, with the fact that north korea is not the focus of attention right now, that they often will grab people to gain at

in infested skies. >>> a team of u.n. weapons inspect orders arrivedinirantoday.it's the first time they have had access to a nuclear facility in more than two years. president obama has said yesterday the pursuit of a long standing deal with iran is as likely to fail as it is to succeed. iran has agreed to temporarily roll back its enrichment offun rainium which would be used to generate nuclear energy. iran insists it's nuclear program is peaceful. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for ran, like any country, to change over time. it may not be likely. if you ask me what is the likely that we are able to arrive at the end state that i was just describing earlier, you know, i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. but we have to try. >> iran, the united states u.s. and five other world powers will meet this week to discuss a six-month deal to halt iran's nuclear program. the president said the deal which lifts sanctions has helped his country's economy. >>> this week on talk to al jazeera, iran's foreign minister mohammed zarif was asked if his country would

obamaopenedup about u.s. relations with israel during a time of tense talksoveriran. we'relive at the white house. >>> here it comes! >> uh-oh! >> that didn't sound good. slip and slide, right now, drivers are fighting a deadly winter storm moving across much of this country. a second storm is brewing. we're live with the forecast. >>> and remembering mandela. south africa is in the middle of a ten-day celebration of his life. we are live in johannesburg as well. we'll also take a look at madiba's influence on america's only black president. >>> plus, homecoming, the american war vet held captive in north korea lands back on u.s. soil after nearly six weeks in captivity. >>> the best option available, those are the words that president obama used just about an hour ago to defend the recent nuclear agreement with iran. the comments came during a foreign policy conversation at a washington think tank forum. nbc's kristen welker is live for us at the white house. kristen, did the president successfully sell his deal today? >> reporter: well, craig, i think that remains to be seen.

and then a vintage world war ii airplane flew overhead to break the silence. >>presidentobamadefendedhis six-month nuclear deal with iran today when he spoke at a prominent d.c. forum. the deal requires iran temporarily cap nuclear activities in exchange for slightly relaxed sanctions. critics suggest they are being unrealistic to think they will give up nuclear capabilities forever. >> one could imagine an ideal world where iran said we'll i dee str -- destroy every element where it's all gone, in which congress passed every one of my bills that i put forward. i mean, there are a lot of things that i can envision that would be wonderful. >> well, the forum is being held by the brookings institution, which is a washington think tank. >> friday's jobs report was a shot in the arm for the fokt and some good news for a white house that hasn't had a lot of it recently. 203,000 jobs were added and one group in particular is kark in. alexandra field tells us who exactly is getting hired. >> deb, young people in particular are reaping the benefits of these better jobs numbers. since the recession,

for the power lines to come down this evening. >>presidentobamadefendedhis six-month nuclear dealwithirantodaywhen he spoke at a prominent d.c. forum. the deal requires iran to temporarily cap some nuclear activities for reduction of sanctions. >> one can envision an ideal world in which iran said we'll destroy every element and facility and you name it, it's all gone. i can envision a world in which congress passed every one of my bills that i put forth. i mean, there are a lot of things that i can envision that would be wonderful. >> at least he's realistic. the forum is being held by the brookings institution, a washington think tank. >> the americans nearly won the arab's got talent competition, finishing in the top three in the contest. ♪ ♪ >> some journalists in the middle east criticized the decision to allow an american in the competition, but the audience and the judges, they loved her take on traditional songs, while other contestants performed more western sounding music. a syrian dance group ultimately won the competition. >> but hours ago prince harry's charity race to

. mariana, thank you for your time tonight.>>>iran, theu.s. and five other world powers will meet in vienna this week to discuss the six-month nuclear agreement. president obama said he is committed to diplomacy as the best path for halting iran's nuclear program. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for iran, like any country, to change over time. it may not be likely. if you does me, what is the likely that we are able to arrive at the end state that i was just describing earlier, i wouldn't say that it's more than 50/50. but we have to try. >> iranian president rouhas rouhasn houani said it helped his country. >> iran's foreign minister was asked if tehran was responsible for some of the unrest in the middle east. iran has been accuse did of stoking the matter, including iraq. here is his answer. >> we have a foreign policy which has a strat eachic period in this region. and we believe that we need. to in fact, contain the spread of sectarian divided in region. we believe sectarianism is dangerous for the entire region. iran is certainly not interested in

to get a deal donewithiran. ialsothinkpresidentobamaaiminghis arguments at the israeli audience. a lot of skeptics there. >> yeah. >> reporter: 77% of israelis are skeptical of this deal, opposed to the deal. prime minister netanyahu called it historic mistake. so i think the president really trying to push back against some of that rhetoric, as well, because, of course, it is quite different here in the u.s. looking at the polls actually you see that fair amount of americans do support this deal and they don't want to see this head in a military direction. >> right. very briefly, in a little bit of time left, we learned over the weekend that the president will mrs. obama will be traveling to south africa as part of the weeklong celebration as i understand it. tuesday's the day for heads of state. >> reporter: we're still waiting to get more details from the white house but you're absolutely right. president obama will travel to south africa along with former president george w. bush, former president clinton also going to attend the services there for nelson mandela. so, i thin

visited the site in more than two years.presidentobamasaidthe pursuit of a longstanding dealwithiranisas likely to fail as succeeded. forum in washington. iran agreed to temporarily wind back its enrichment which can be used to make a bomb, but also le used in the making of nuclear energy. >> we have to not constantly assume that it's not possible for rain, like any country to change over type of. it may not be likely. if you ask me what is the likelihood for us to arrive at the end state i described earlier, i wouldn't say it's more than 50/50, but we have to try. >> iran, the u.s. and other world powers will meet in the coming days. iran's president said it's a deal and sanctions have already benefitted the country's economy. korea returns home. he speaks after being freed. reunited with his family. >> elian gonzalez speaks out about a request he's making to president obama about his home county, cuba. >> ukrainians ultimate mate um to their president to end the conflict. tÑ >> good morning, welcome back to al jazeera america. i'm richelle carey. next, after weeks of being held

. >>presidentobamasayshe believes chances for comprehensive nuclear agreementwithiranare50/50 at best. >> but what i've consistently said is even as i don't take any options off the table, what we do have to test is the y at we can resolve this issue diplomatically. >> and the president made those comments while participating in a think tank panel on saturday. >>> now to the incredible outpouring of emotion and worship in south africa today. millions of people, regardless of their race, color, or religion, unified in prayer, song, and remembrance in honor of nelson mandela. today's national day of prayer and reflection marks the beginning of a week-long program of mourning in his memory. let's go right now to nbc's michelle koh zin ski, who's in the middle of it all. michelle, a good evening your time. what are we seeing? >> reporter: hi, alex. right here this was a fence lined with some flowers outside the mandela property. now it has become several large hills full of flowers lined with people. you can imagine in churches around the world today mandela was mentioned. here today peop

. >>>presidentobamadefendedhis six-month nuclear dealwithiranwhenhe spoke at a d.c. forum. it requires iran to apparently cap nuclear activities in exchange for slightly relaxed sanctions. the president suggests his critics are being very unrealistic if they believe that iran would suddenly give up all nuclear capabilities forever. >> one can envision an ideal world in which iran said we'll destroy every element and facility and you name it, it's all gone. i can envision a world in which congress passed every one of my bills that i put forward. i mean, there are a lot of things that i can envision that would be wonderful. >> well, the forum's being held by the brookings institution which is a washington think tank. >>> well, defense secretary chuck hagel is visiting u.s. troops today. during a surprise trip to afghanistan. he also met with afghan officials to discuss a security agreement which would allow some of the nato-led troops to stay in the country past 2014. the pact still hasn't been signed by afghan president hamid karzai, but hagel said that his afghan counterpart assured hi

and clear economistment of both sides to the middle east. >> didpresidentobamadothe right thing by entering intoing this interim agreement with iran? >> if they will really transform the 00 kilograms backward, reprocessed into nondangerous materials and if they stop the activities in the heavy water reactor in iraq. so that's clear. but the very structure of two stages make it the burden of proof delayed for six months. >> but it's worth a chance, right? it's better than going to war. >> i don't know. it's too early to pass judgment. the real challenge is that iran remains very close and they might try to manipulate the americans or the west of the p5-plus-1. >> what's the bottom line? did the president do the right thing? >> the president probably didn't have a choice but to negotiate with the iranians, but the real test will come. it's waiting for the rest of the world if iran is not blocked from turning into military nuclear power, we will all regret it because the consequences are far much more dangerous than those that might stem out even from a direct physical attack on th

of the jewish people to take seriously those who speak about our annihilation. >>presidentobamadoesn'tthink iran will give up it's entire nuclear program, but calls upon them to freeze the most dangerous parts of the program for six months in return for ease of sanctions. >> inspections could help gauge iran's nuclear capabilities and motives. joining us to discuss this step is former u.n. chief weapons inspector joining us from washington this morning. >> good morning, thomas. >> can you give us a better understanding first of all of this particular plant, why is it still operational and what's currently being constructed there? >> it's very important that inspectors went there a day ago. this is the first test of iran's agreement with the six powers made two weeks ago, part of which that they would put a hold on work at this plant, the reactor and heavy worker manufacturing capability. why is it important? everyone has heard about iran enriching uranium. that's one way to make an atomic bomb. the other way is to extract plutonium from fuel that has already been burnt in a reactor. not all

and there are lots of actors these days. at an international forum saturday,presidentobamaacknowledgedthe u.s. would accept a peaceful nuclear energy program in iran. meanwhile, 8 a-year-old merrill newman is back on u.s. soil and with family after being detained in north korea. pyongyang said it deported the 85-year-old veteran of the korean war. north korean authorities seized newman off a departing plane more than a month ago. joining me now, congressman michael mccall, he is chairman of the house homeland security committee and adam shift, a member of the house select intelligence committee. thanks for coming in on a sthoey day. not always easy in washington. i want to start out with merrill newman. i know his son is in your district. you had been back and forth with him. why did north korea seize him and why did they legality him go? >> it's a very good question. i'm not sure we'll ever know completely the answer. it may be as a north koreans have said that, you know, part of a personal pique they found out abouthis war record and pulled him off the plain. it may have to do something w

with whatever further steps are needed topreventiranfromacquiring a nuclear weapon, including, as president obama just made clear, a military option if that were necessary. so, there shouldn't be an ounce of doubt. this is a debate we shouldn't be having. the real question is what is going to happen with the final agreement. the united states stands squarely behind our israeli friends and allies in the region and in the world. the result of all these steps we are taking is that iran's breakout time, the period required to produce enough weapons grade material intended for nuclear weapons, will have been increased because of our diplomacy. we are obviously well aware that even a comprehensive agreement would not solve all of our problems with iran. we don't pretend that they do. it wouldn't address their support for hezbollah. it won't deal with syria, although it would have some impact, ultimately. it doesn't deal with other terrorist organizations or their attempt to destabilize our partners throughout the region. whatever the outcome of the upcoming negotiations, iran will still have much

administration trying to assure americans it will fix the problemswithobamacare,but some pundits say they better make good on the promise and fast. >> also, john kerry's trying to sell a nuclear deal with iran. >> and there are new developments in this. remember this? when a police officer opened fire on that mini van filled with children? we'll tell you what happens, next. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of all day pain relief. this season, discover aleve. all day pain relief with just two pills. and our giant idaho potato truck is still missing. so my dog and i we're going to go fi it. it's out there somewhere spading the good word about idaho potatoes and raising money for meals on wheels. but we'd really like our truck back, so if you see it, let us know, would you? thanks. what? >>> update on the shocking dash cam video we brought you in october. this from new mexico. that video of a traffic stop turned into chaos. a new mexico police officer opening fire on a van full of children after their mother is stopped and still sped away. now, the officer has b

, secretary hagel, we saw him in afghanistan, he was in the middle east reassuring allies thedealobamadecidedto do with iran doesn't mean that we will support them militarily. vice president biden toured through asia telling the japanese and the south koreans the same thing. talker, i can't remember any administration in the entire post war period, republican or democratic, having to send high officials into regions like that to assure our allies that we would support them if confrontation. >> it seems to be the less powerful america is the safer the world is, but it strikes me the opposite is likely true. >> the president seems to think diplomacy only, diplomacy, he is obsessed with doing diplomacy with countries like iran. our allies immediately default to the implications of where a policy like that is going, if it is primarily diplomacy and the threat of military action isn't sitting behind it. if you've got allies believing that the military option is off the table, the adversaries are going to step forward. so you have a very unstable situation. >> they live in a world with few

sherman, is nowtheobamaadministration'slead egotiator fortheirannucleartalks. in a 2001 "new york times" op-ed, ms. sherman urged president bush to cut a deal, writing that kim jong il, quote, appears ready to make landmark commitments because to ensure the survival of his regime, he has to improve the country's disastrous economy by reducing the burden of a vast missile program and opening the doors to trade. well, ms. sherman was wrong about that inner op-ed she wrote in 2001. kim jong il needed to help his economy, right about that, but she thought it meant that he was ready to get rid of his ballistic missile program and open the doors more to trade. certainly they were willing to open the doors to trade but just as she had been wrong in 1994, when she helped the clinton administration work out an amazing deal with north recap the highlights , that deal with north korea they were believed to be pursues nuclear weapons so ms. sherman was the policy coordinator for north korea volved in this process, she, madeleine albright, president clinton thought what a great thing, we will

toiran, sendinga signal that they're not crazy about the interim dealtheobamaadministrationsigned on to. another thing to watch for really quickly is the farm bill. negotiators are still trying to reach an agreement on a farm bill. if they can't get a deal, they're going to have to at least extend existing farm spending, so that's something that could be done. and finally, the senate's here for an extra week, they're going to be looking at a lot of nominations, particularly after the filibuster changes that senate democrats rammed through. among the big nominees are the new chairwoman of the federal reserve, janet yellen. >> host: and one more question for you. a number of articles in the last couple of weeks have suggested this is the most unproductive congress ever. why is this it so hard to get anything done on capitol ill? >> guest: well, it's divided government. you've got the senate run by democrats, the house run by republicans. whenever you have that situation, it's tough to get anything done. in addition, in the republican conference you have a situation where leadership

withiranadeal of international cooperation. the wto should look at high unemployment around the world. president obama didn't come into the office as a free trader but he has pursued these bilateral and regional trade agreements in part because they're an easy way to show that they're working on unemployment concerns. >>> tina, thank you. we'll hear exclusively from the country's foreign minister of egypt. so i got the windows nokia tablet. it's, well, impressive. it's got the brightest hd screen, super-fast 4g lte, so my son can play games and movies almost anywhere, and it's got office for school stuff. but the best part? i got the lumia 928 for my daughter for free, with the best low-light smartphone camera this side of the north pole. dad for the win. mm! mm! mm! ♪ honestly, i want to see you be brave ♪ >>> u.s. defense secretary has thrown his support behind the egyptian interim government's roadmap which came into effect with the toppling of the former president, mohammed morsi. chuck hagel met over the weekend to discuss u.s. egyptian relations. hadley spoke exclusively to

it hit? answers next. >>> nuclear inspections begininiran. whatexactly do they expect to find, and what did president obama say that may have surprised some? >>> saving a city. on tuesday, detroit will move one more step toward bankruptcy. what price should the city pay to get rid of its massive debt? >>> they're known as weapons of war, but why do some people say drone deliveries could prove to be a danger of all of us as well? >>> hey there, everyone. welcome. it's high noon here in the east, 9:00 a.m. out west. we welcome you to "weekends with alex witt." we begin with the deadly winter storm gripping much of the nation. a second arctic blast is making its way across the country. snow it already falling in the nation's capital. we have a picture there of the white house. certainly beautiful, but it can be a mess. along with the snow and freezing rain, millions are bracing for more power outages and more dangerous

allies question whether theobamaadministrationis willing to even use all the military hardware that it has parked in iran's backyard. for "cbs this morning saturday" margaret brennan, ba han. >>> contaminated tap water at a marine base is linked to birth defects and childhood cancers. the centers for disease control studied children born at camp lejeune between 1968 and 1985. that study found that babies were four high times higher to have birth defects. wells at the base were closed in 1985. >>> the latest check of the healthcare.gov website shows 3.7 million people visited the site this past week. a spokeswoman says the number of duplicated or incorrect forms sent from the site to insurance companies has dropped to 10%. it had been at 25%. consumers are being advised to double-check online interactions with their insurance companies. a spanish-language version is expected to go live today. >>> waulgt ended with big gains, the strongest jobs report in five years. employers added 203,000 jobs in november and the unemployment rate fell to 7% nationwide. so what

a question for the doctor. i wanted to ask if you could discuss the endgame for the u.s.andiran, especiallyconcerning the fact -- doesn't want to end sanctions and considering that it has considered the -- you said that in the article obama back down to benjamin netanyahu. and this is the same process that created this arrangement. and in the context of which i hope we don't lose our sense of rationality because a war in the middle east is going to make his expedition into afghanistan and iraq look like short-term lasting a dozen years or so. the united states for 30 years managed to prevent a nuclear war and they are able to convince both of those countries and the soviet union why we would have to go to war. and that would preserve their independence even if there is no solution with the iranians. the israelis have 200 or more and they are not one-sided we vulnerable and i am quite sure that we make a subsequent full-scale treaty with iran. >> and this would be preferable for military action. >> there's no reason to believe it wouldn't work if the united states was committed and was a pr

itself is attracting attention intheobamaadministrationand studied closely. >> reporter: a group of senators is working on a bill calling for more sanctions if iran doesn't live up to the deal and the white house worries that it could hurt the agreement. there is overwhelming evidence that syria's president is guilty of war crimes and the human rites chief said an inquiry found assad and senior officials authorized these actions. >> the facts point to the commission of very serious crimes and war crimes and crimes against humanity and point to the fact that the evidence indicates responsibility at the highest level of government including the head of state. >> reporter: investigators say the systematic nature of human rights abuses in syria point to government policy and this is the first time the u.s. has directly implicated the syrian president and more than 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict. the u.n. says afghanistan is the world east most dangerous place for relief worker and said attacks on aid workers fripelled there and 36 have been killed and 46 injured and

andpresidentobamahavebeen going at it in a slow but methodical manner, and we have to continue to grind it out. host: cnn reported on of the deals they set a particular point of contention is iran's assistance that the right under international agreement to enrich uranium the message to iran should be the should be that you are insisting on the right to enrich. you are. you do not do final negotiations and public. only knows that we have some preliminary to work on. what we did not want to happen mama and why this is important continue negotiating with iran or implemented nuclear programs and you could negotiate without this, but then there will be nothing to prevent iran from continuing to enrich and moving forward with this nuclear program. what this says is let's continue to negotiate, but while we're not negotiating, you cannot continue with this program. they agreed to do that. we are going to verify, because we're worried of daily inspections. that is what is important and significant about this agreement. deal does the final require congressional input? guest: i'm sure there will

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